All-electric Borgward Isabella concept swoops into Frankfurt

Re-born brand Borgward has revealed a new all-electric
concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show, which acts as an eye-catching design
study for the Chinese backed German brand.

The Isabella concept is a low, four-door coupe – quite a
departure for a brand that has primarily focused on SUVs since its resurrection
in 2008. The Isabella name itself is a nod to Borgward in its previous
incarnation, brought back to life from the firm’s coupe from the 1950s.

A steeply rising shoulderline is mated to a dipping C-pillar
acting as an aerodynamic buttress. The doors slide in opposite directions to
access the cabin, while it also boasts eye-catching LED headlights with
Z-shaped lighting signatures. Inside, the cabin features four individual seats,
plus a dashboard dominated by a large triangular infotainment screen.

Borgward has not revealed any powertrain specifics, but
envisions an all-electric powertrain for the Isabella design study.

With the 2015 debut of the BX7, Borgward spelt out an
ambitious growth plan. The firm is targeting 800,000 sales globally by 2020,
though any sports car won’t play a major role in the firm’s growth plan –
Crossovers and SUVs are how the firm plans to grow.

A smaller BX5 SUV is also on sale in China, and an entry
level BX3 has been spied testing by Chinese auto media. These models are a far
cry from the large, European saloons and coupes produced by the marque before its
1961 bankruptcy, so a smooth coupe concept will likely use the firm’s
traditional image as inspiration.